2 Pensacola-based cutters deploy for help with Gulf oil spill

View full size(U.S. Coast Guard)The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Oak, which normally is used to maintain buoys in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere, is deploying from Pensacola NAS in Pensacola, Fla., to help clean up the Gulf oil spill. The cutter has equipment designed to siphon oil from the water's surface.PENSACOLA, Fla. -- The Oak and the Cypress -- 2 U.S. Coast Guard ships docked at Pensacola Naval Air Station -- are
expected to begin work today on recovering oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Pensacola News Journal reports.

Michael Glander, commanding officer of the cutter ship Oak,
said the Oak is expected to work fairly close to the Deepwater Horizon spill site and what Glander described as an indefinite mission.

The 255-foot ships are built to maintain navigational buoys, but also are outfitted with equipment designed to siphon oil from the
surface. The oil
and water mixture is pumped into bladders that can hold 75,000 gallons. The bladders are then off-loaded onto other vessels

Glander
said the skimming equipment on his ship has never been used in an
oil-removal operation, but his crew undergoes annual training on its
use.